Losing Fred
by CrimsonsNight
Summary: What would happen if after the first war death eaters where still on the loose for two to three years following the fall of the Dark Lord? A series of tragic events lead to Hermione joining the ranks of the Weasley family years before her friendship with Ron and Harry ever began. A bond between Fred and Hermione is formed, as laughter breaks the muted silence of a broken child.
1. Blanket of Fear

Authors note: This is my first _Harry Potter_ fanfic so I would really appreciate constructive criticism. Thank you to all who have decided to read this story, and I Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer? The original _Harry Potter_ series does not belong to me, nor am I making money from this undertaking. This is a fan fiction website…shouldn't this be apparent?

The lovely cover image is property of Fused Elegance, and thus can be located at:

** fusedelegance. deviantart. com/art/Time-of-the-Dragon-Steampunk-3-195034808**

**A great big thanks for her kindly letting me use it.**

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Chapter One:

Blanket of Fear

"The journey of a thousand mile begins with one step."

It is the nearly tangible hate swirling within the atmosphere that jolted the three-year-old Hermione from the confines of her dreams. Beneath her blanket, she lay motionless. Fear compressing her to the bed.

It was a dark fear, forbidding her from peaking past the knitted fabric of her comforter. Silence echoed across the walls and beneath her bed.

In her ears her blood pounded. The deep bump-bump only served to heighten her anxiety. The air stilled momentarily, broken seconds later by the gut-wrenching scream of a woman in agony.

A cry of fear burst forth from the child's lungs, a chorus to her mother's pain. She shot from her bed, panic dotting the edge of her vision in red.

Frantically, she wrenched her door open only to see a black haired monster at the bottom of the stairs standing over her limp and lifeless mother. The back of the creature resembled that of a human, but Hermione knew better.

Her eyes moved back to her mother. With wide eyes, she watched as her mother stared back. Her mothers eyes silently willing her to escape, to run far away.

Hermione's mouth dropped in horror as she watched the monster split her mother's stomach with the wave of the stick clasped within its narrow fingers. Her mother's screams reverberated off the walls, and pierced Hermione's ears.

Laughing hysterically, the monster slowly pulled her mother's organs from the confines of her body. Tugging repeatedly until the soft red flesh split in protest.

The scream reached a strenuous height, before dropping instantly to nothing. Only the hysterical laughing remained.

Her mothers jaw slack, frozen in horror. The monster, laughing impossibly, louder proceeded to shove the ripped bloody organs into her mother's mouth.

It was this new act of horror that spurred Hermione's survival instincts into action. She stumbled from her door, drunk with fear, alerting the monster of her presence.

It snapped its head to look at her. Its eyes nailing her to the spot. A cruel twist of the lips revealed teeth rot with decay.

A flash of red stole the monsters attention from Hermione. Released from the gaze, Hermione ran frantically to her open window. Her short three-year-old legs forcing her to jump to the mouth of the window, and in her panic she scrambled without proper control from the window. The slant of the roof forced her to roll rapidly to the bushes out cropping the house.

A startled cry of fear burned in Hermione's lungs. Intense pain enveloped her as her body met with the gnarled fern branches. She lay motionless for several seconds, tears clouding her brown eyes. The sky above her washed in smoky green. Blinking back the tears, she rolled from the bush her right arm throbbing painfully.

Her coordination an obstacle as she ran to the surrounding woods. She ran for mere minutes, her undeveloped lungs ragged with excretion. Her poor leg muscles pumping with fear.

Blinking back the tears, her vision blurred dangerously, approaching blindness. Surely, she would trip if she remains in such a state. Rubbing furiously at her eyes, she fought back the flood of tears.

Her tense and tired legs were easily pulled from beneath her as a stray tree root caught painfully around her right ankle. She plummeted to the ground a tangle or golden brown curls and flailing limbs.

Sobbing pitifully upon the forest floor, the child curled in upon herself for warmth as the first drops of rain landed upon her ashen skin.

That was how Arthur Weasley found her. Moments after the fighting, he had followed a Death Eater into the surrounding woods. He gave chase with the full intention of catching him, and bringing him in to join his follow Deatheaters in Azkaban.

"Immobulus," He shot, barely catching the Deatheater in the leg, but effectively immobilizing him. The Deatheater hit the ground with an audible thump, the piercing scream following his decent out of place and shocking.

Arthur's head snapped to the right of the immobilized body, his eyes locking upon the shaking body of a child.

Crawling slowly away she attempt to back away from the situation before her, a telltale since of her physically state of being.

Arthur approached her with nearly equally slow movements. His hands raised in the air, eyes consoling plains of green. Her panicked expression revealed his efforts to be fruitless in the face of her surmounting terror.

He attempted to speak to her, to assuage her fears, but her innocent brown eyes stared unseeingly upon him in horror. A few mere steps later and he wars crouched before her, arms extended toward her. His big hands wrapped around her sore middle. Her screams colored with intense emotion. As he began to lift her, she kicked and flailed wildly. After a few moments of desperate thrash her body simply gave in, gave up. The child now limp with in his arms, he cradled her protectively against his chest.

He turned toward the once other person in the small clearing muttering a quick "_Incarcerous" _he securely tied him.

Arthur followed this spell up with a Patronus charm. He quickly reported on the status and location of the Deatheater, and of the poor child within his arms. He stated that under the current circumstances, he felt it prudent to relocate the child to a safer environment, and thus this would be the reason for his momentary absence. He sent the Glowing weasel off with guidelines to report to his fellow order members.

With perfect concentration Arthur apparated to the only place he knew safe for a child, the burrow his home.

The deafening crack of apparition did not stir the child within his arms. There she lay quietly sobbing evening her sleep. Her brow knitted in discomfort.

He began his walk up the burrows cobbled stones, a heavy burned weighing down his shoulder. He looked the very image of a tired old man.

"Oh Arthur! Are you all right?" His wife called as she ran toward him. Her smooth girlish voice washing over his nerves in a wave of comfort, He lifted his head in her direction a warm expression already lifting his face—a subconscious reaction.

She stopped short moments before flinging herself upon him, which surely would have been a bone-crushing hug—one that only Molly could achieve. Her eyes drew to the shivering form in his arms.

"Oh…" she breathed her arms already reaching out for the poor dear. Effortlessly she cradled the tiny child to her chest, instinctively rocking the poor thing within her arms, a soothing hum upon her lips.

Arthur's lips twitched as his wife's natural mothering instincts took over.

"Oh Arthur what happen? No, you can tell me after I've taken care of her, and after you've sat down with a nice strong tea. You look like you could use it." Arthur nodded his agreement as he followed her into the house; blinking tiredly, he prepared himself for the rest of an already long night.

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I apologize for any spelling errors or grammatical errors. If you find any that I have missed, please inform me of them so that I may correct them.


	2. Twinkling Eyes

A.N: I have done some background research and have concluded that Hermione is actually four at the moment.

I wanted to thank My First two reviewers prettylildisaster98, and LaNaHwAnNa your reviews mean a lot to me. I also want to thank everyone who favorited or followed my story, its very encouraging. ^^

Disclaimer is located in my first chapter.

Enjoy the Story, and if you see anything of issue please inform me of it.

Chapter Two:

Twinkling Eyes

"A jug fills drop by drop"

- Buddha

The cup of steaming tea was a welcomed old friend. Arthur sighed loudly, as the heat washed soothingly over the contours of his face.

A moment of silence, the peaceful sound of lightly snoring children a whispering reassurance in his ears. He was home, and all seven of his children were safely tucked away in the warmth of their beds. He briefly wondered if his twins were still sleeping in the same bed together.

Tears pricked at the corner of his eyes threatening him with a moment of weakness. It was now two years following the fall of the Dark Lord, and his death was still an unbelievable miracle. A miracle achieved after the loss of countless of lives.

He blinked back the unbidden moisture. Bring the liquid to his lips, he let the warmth wash through him. With a contented breath, he leaned into the well-worn cushions of his maroon armchair.

Quietly he listened to the silence repeatedly broken by the rustle of his wife fussing in the other room. If he knew his wife as well as he thought he did, then the child was relatively fine—physically at the very least.

The last drops of his tea dispersed upon his tongue just as his wife walked haggardly to his side. Worry creased the smooth skin upon her brow, and with sluggish movements, she lower herself into the mauve armchair adjacent to his own.

Shedding a sigh from her lips, she allowed muscles to uncoil into the softness of the fabric beneath her. Her eyes closed giving herself a moment simply to breathe.

Arthur watched her, understanding softening the blue of his eyes to cool gentle pools of water. He took in her mussed hair and lightly damp brow. Minute by minute, time claimed the space between them. They continued in this manner until molly turn her head to him, her green eyes meeting his gaze. A wet sheen glistened upon the her sclera.

"Molly, sweetie…" he reached out a comforting hand to her. She grasped it appreciatively.

"Oh Arthur," she nearly sobbed, "She was in horrid condition! Her ankle and arm were terribly broken! Not to mention all the bruising and gashes." He nodded,

"She's okay now, she's safe here with us," molly seemed to relax visibly at his calmly breathed reassurance.

"Do you think…do you think she saw...?" Molly's broken voice trailed off in question.

"I believe it's very likely, with how terrified she was I don't doubt it for a second…"he replied solemnly his voice barely above a whisper. His words were left to fester in the air. His brow wrinkled in concern, open distress a manifestation of his inner thoughts.

"Molly, I need to report to the order…." he began quietly, her fiery stare causing him to back peddle "but, I'll be back shortly," she nodded reluctantly in return. He brought their joined hands to his lips; softly he pressed her knuckles to his mouth.

He apparated away, the air whooshed past her, caressing her face like a gentle goodbye. Silently she continued to sit within the confines of her armchair, her face pensive.

Subconsciously, she brought her knuckles to the skin of her cheek, rubbing it slowly with worry. The warmth of his lips dragged across her rosy skin.

With a sigh she stood, turning toward the kitchen she made herself busy by making tea.

The crack of apparition alerted Arthur's fellow order members of his presence. His gaze traveled the length of the room, taking in the mixed expressions adorning many of the member's faces.

The pale skin of a select few separated them from the rest, marking them as the skirmishing team for this night. Bringing his hands to his face, he felt the cold seep out from his pores, a sure indication he too was facing the same affects of the night's events.

To the left of him he noticed McGonagall striding in his direction, so he turned to receive her. His hand fell limply to his side, forgotten.

"Arthur," she greeted upon her approach. Her face worn with obvious lack of sleep.

"Hello Minerva, have I missed anything?" He inquired in concern. Her eyes twinkled briefly, in what he recognized as amusement, before she responded.

"Nothing you haven't already been privy to, Moody is delivering another one of his speeches."

"Is he? What about," he questioned eagerly.

"Oh you know the usual, order members disappearing out on the field of battle," She responded airily. A few moments of silence followed her statement.

"You are not funny," Arthur muttered in un-amused realization. A small smile graced her lips.

"Am I not?" He smiled indulgently in return, grateful she could still smile after the tragic death of her husband. Her lips lowered fractionally at its corners, her eyes gazed unseeingly at him. "Minnie," he began in a comforting tone. She shook her head minutely.

"Albus wishes to speak with you," her hand gestured vaguely in the direction behind her. He gazed at her briefly, a sad smile upon his lips. He turned to leave, pressing a warm hand to her shoulder extending to her friendly comfort, but understanding her need to be alone.

Parting from her, he headed in the general direction she indicated. He weaved his way through the crowded hall, stopping only once to ascertain the exact location of the great wizard. Finally finding himself before mahogany doors, he knocked.

"Arthur" the wizard called beckoning him in to the room.

"Albus," he greeted warmly in return," how are you tonight?"

"Just fine my boy just fine, I dare say we had a productive evening." Albus looked at him over his half moon spectacles, eyes twinkling, "We have caught several Deatheaters, and are that much closer to ending their activity altogether." Arthur nodded in understanding.

"And if I am correct, we have saved an innocent?" Albus' eyes twinkled.

"Quiet right, the poor thing was utterly terrified when I came upon her." He agreed.

"How is she doing now?" Albus asked concerned.

"Molly took great care of her, mended her broken bones and such, Other than that she has not awoken…I fear her mental and emotional state, surely she witness some part of what occurred in that house…and we are yet to know how she survived." Arthur sucked in a steadying breath, "to be perfectly honest, I find it difficult to understand how she possibly made it out as barely scathed as she did." The twinkle in Albus' eyes increased.

"Maybe she had some unforeseen help?"

"I'm not sure what you mean sir." Arthur spoke quietly his confusion.

"It matters not," he waved away the question, placing his own in its stead. "I Trust I can leave the girl to you and molly until she regains consciousness, and can provide the order with the information necessary to decide what to do with the poor child?"

"Albus you needn't even ask you know me and molly wouldn't have it any other way." He finished shaking his head with a smile.

"Of course, how thoughtless of me to have questioned it," Albus amended with a twinkle. Arthur laughed full heartedly.

"Thank you for your assistance in these matters, but may I suggest you return home before molly comes to retrieve you." Arthur's laugh dwindled down to a warm smile at the thought.

"That's a wonderful idea, but are you sure you have no more need of me tonight?" Albus smiled in return,

"Dear boy, if I have further need of you tonight I shall send for you, so fret not and retire to your family."

A brief goodnight was exchanged between the two. Arthur left the room and head to the apparation point. He nodded at several wizards, but tarried not. Moments later saw him to the cobbled path of his home.

Upon reaching the steps of his house, he was greeted with his sweetly tired and glowing wife. A gentle smile formed the curve of her lips. He caressed that curve with a longing kiss.

Without words, they retired to the comforts of their bedchambers. Where they fell asleep, molly tucked protectively beneath his chin. Her arms securely wrapped around his waist. Sleep took them within the moment where they listen to the soft sounds of each other's breathing.

Thank you so much for reading my story. Since this is my first harry potter story, I am a little nervous about what you guys think, so if you would be kind enough to leave a few words or more id greatly appreciate it. Also if you see any errors please let me know so I can fix it.


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